Playoff Scramble In High Gear

As the final weekend began, eight teams were in the playoffs with their final status yet to be determined. They were Green Bay, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Dallas, Philadelphia and Detroit in the NFC, Buffalo and Kansas City in the AFC. San Diego and Indianapolis of the AFC became the ninth and tenth teams to reach the playoffs, with victories Saturday.

The wins by the Chargers and Colts left eight other teams consulting the computers for the combination of circumstances that could land them one of the two remaining berths - one in each conference.

And Carolina had a chance to make history. A win at Washington and it would become the first expansion team in any sport to finish its first year with a .500 record.

Novacek has surgery

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jay Novacek underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to repair a partial tear of his medial meniscus. Novacek injured the knee in a game two weeks ago at Philadelphia. He aggravated the injury in practice Friday.

Novacek will not travel to Tempe, Ariz., for Monday night’s game between the Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals. A timetable for his return has not been determined.

Ex-Browns tackle shot

Former Cleveland Browns’ defensive tackle Bob Gain was in critical condition after he was shot during a domestic argument, police said. Gain, 66, was admitted to a hospital following the shooting shortly before midnight Friday at his suburban Cleveland home.

Police said a woman was taken into custody but no charges were filed.

Police arrived at Gain’s home to find Gain sitting in a kitchen chair, alert and talking. The woman was also in the kitchen and police found a gun on the counter.

Gain played 12 years for the Browns and was selected for five Pro Bowls before retiring in 1964. He won the Outland Trophy at the University of Kentucky in 1950 as the top lineman in college football.